ROLANDO CANTU, CARDINALS Offending LINEMAN (2004-06) And Native From MONTERREY, MEXICO: I found myself towards routine team inside the 2004, had clipped, and so they finalized me again. The latest plan for 2005 ended up being create, and i think of very well that we got a degree camp you to definitely seasons and so they said I found myself undertaking most better. I did so admirably. I didn’t [play], but I had the chance to be there.

WILSON: I allow the Cardinals lots of borrowing from the bank for taking the latest issue and you may carrying it out. Anyone into the group inside Nyc really was required to push the effort to determine and that party and whom to speak so you can so far as the newest control teams. Logistic some thing came into gamble as well, such as for example big date areas, take a trip — what lengths will they be likely to need certainly to travel — this is exactly why In my opinion Mexico was instance a nice-looking nation, it wasn’t browsing should be a giant travel. Relatively easy from a period region position. Numerous that ran to your calculus, and at the amount of time, this new [Cardinals] felt like they had become happy to throw in the towel property online game for as long as it made feel for them economically ahead down and you may enjoy. Geographically, these are generally quite close.

If the finally 53-kid rosters was basically revealed, it slashed myself but told me they might sign myself straight back into routine squad

New 2005 Cardinals-49ers games into the Estadio Azteca place a frequent-12 months attendance list out of 103,467 fans, and that stood for almost five season. Robert Laberge/Getty Photo

MIKE NOLAN, 49ERS Coach (2005-08): I remember we had an event, [people manager] John York and i from the appointment. He told you, “Would you like to gamble in the Mexico Area or do you need to gamble about Hall from Magnificence online game?” And that i told you . I really don’t require an extra games regarding preseason my personal first 12 months. I would personally instead simply have fun with the inside-seasons game during the Mexico Area. And i think of a lover perspective, the new 49ers provides many admirers off here. I didn’t know during the time whom we had gamble, however, i finished up to play Arizona. Which is the way i remember they began.

Thus in my opinion it actually was, ‘Hey, bring it with the

BERTRAND BERRY, CARDINALS Protective Stop (2004-09): The first thing From the was a good amount of our very own guys did not have passports. Making sure that, to start with, is actually something I came across quite interesting. With all of the people we’d toward group, discover a lengthy line to get passports and i only think of convinced such as, ‘Man, i had not become anywhere. We hadn’t done things besides play sports our entire life.’

GONZALEZ: elizabeth were to become stored, are a date that for the Mexico we need to take that have great value, as a result of the historic situations (Tlatelolco Slaughter) from which we are conscious here, but we had to clarify to your colleagues inside the the us. Yes, the pros and disadvantages was basically considered, nevertheless are felt like we was required to go ahead as we’d to simply accept that we promote a program and you will a beneficial cause for fun. So, in the place of concentrating on brand new not-so-advantageous issue from the concept of this new go out, we made a decision to offer an option and you will say, ‘Today, October. dos, there are also aspects of celebrating.’

The fresh new NFL had catholic singles Desktop complete numerous “Western Pan” preseason game during the Mexico before considered an everyday-12 months online game around. AP Photos/Jose Luis Magana

BERRY: I recently got a great feeling concerning entire matter. We wasn’t one of those men cautious about they. I became excited. I appreciated doing stuff no-one had actually done. Let’s go be noticeable inside Mexico. Let us wade render particular Cardinals fans straight back with us away from across the brand new border.’